What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been around Southbrook Church!
- Announced at the S.A.L.T. meeting (Southbrook’s advanced Leadership Time) that we have hired an Executive Pastor and could not feel more blessed to welcome Dave Kush and his family to our wonderful church! Dave is a hand in glove fit! He comes to us with many years experience at one of the largest most effective churches in America—recognized by Outreach magazine as one of the top 20 churches in the USA!
- Moving forward with our “IMPACT” initiatives! Please join me in prayer as we come to the last few resumes and final interviews for a Lifegroups pastor at Southbrook! There are some awesome candidates and the Lord has brought them all to SCC!
- In mid June (as part of the multi-site portion of our IMPACT initiatives) A new worship pastor will be joining the team in Monroe! Be patient young grasshoppers…you will know in due time!
- My heart went from soaring to numbness in minutes…Crushed today to learn that a former pastor I know—who destroyed his marriage only a year ago by committing adultery with his assistant (some would call it an ‘affair’ but I call it what it is!) was not only starting another church (in the same area) but has already married the very assistant he committed adultery with! At first I thought he had remarried his wife and was praising God…then I read closer. The pastorate is a holy calling! It hurts the cause of Christ to cheapen it like this!
- Seen more than enough of this stuff going on with so called ‘men of God’ over the last year. Does revival grow out of this?! God is holy people! Whatever a man sews, he will eventually reap. Honor the Lord and quit living no different than the world! Otherwise, why should people follow you? Check out Romans 10:13–15, “13For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” We are sent by God (some call it, “called by God”). What ‘difference’ would the world possibly see in us if we lived as though God’s calling was cheap and meaningless?
- Pastors? If you are naive enough to fall for this oldest of all schemes to bring you, your family and the church you serve down—then you better have a vocational back up plan because you are disqualified for ministry! Period. The Bible isn’t even foggy on this one. Read 1 Tim. 3:1–5, “1 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder,[a] he desires an honorable position.” 2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. <— What hope is there of this when their example from ‘dad’ is so poor? 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” Could it be any more clear than this?
- And “NO” I’m not naming names—honestly, that would give more attention to these people than they should ever have. When I hear this, I drop to my knees for a several reasons…1. God is gracious 2. If not for His grace I could go the same way! (and so could you!) 3. The Lord will make all things right in His time and He will protect His church.
- Ok, Rant Over…It’s just a sad day for the Bride of Christ.
- Today in our “Divine” series we came to John chapter 10. It’s all about sheep. But I missed a few characteristics so I thought I’d throw them in here before I forget. As I list these it should be easy to see why we (humans) are compared to sheep so often in the Bible!
* Sheep Bite!!
* Sheep aren’t just stupid alone—they’re stupid in flocks!
* The male sheep (or ram) will butt you in the butt if you keep your back turned on him too long!
* Many churches are called ‘flocks’ just as we call a group of sheep.
* Sheep have poor eyesight, but an excellent sense of hearing.
There are many more facts, but I’ll let you dwell on these for now!
-
Check out John 10:27–30:
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
So comforting to know that our salvation does not depend upon our own effort. We are held in the very hands of God!
* More than 30 families have signed up to give their tithes and offerings on an online, recurring basis! Thanks for stepping up and taking the lead! We need many more of you to join them in order to see everything come to fruition that God has put on our hearts for 2010!
* Starting to feel like we have one of the best staff teams anywhere! You all rock!
* And our ministry partners (formerly known as ‘volunteers) are second to none!